


Day 4: Cross-Over Day

by notcrypticbutcoy



Series: Malec Week 2016 [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Boys Kissing, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, dance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2016-08-16
Packaged: 2018-08-09 06:37:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7790707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notcrypticbutcoy/pseuds/notcrypticbutcoy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Yule Ball is fast approaching, and Magnus Bane has his eyes set on one particular person in the castle. Too bad this particular wizard hates dancing, and everything it entails.</p><p>Or: In which Magnus likes Alec, Alec likes Magnus, and maybe Christmas wishes really do come true.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Day 4: Cross-Over Day

Alec hated Charms.

It wasn't that he didn't think it had no use. It certainly wasn't that he loathed Professor Flitwick, or even, unlike most of his house (and all the Gryffindors in the room), that he couldn't stand sharing the lesson with the other Slytherins who were taking Charms to NEWT level.

It was just...he hated Charms. It was too fiddly, too intricate, too generally frustrating.

Jace was huffing beside him as he tried to make Professor Flitwick's spell work. Honestly, Alec had expected Jace to drop the subject this year. They'd both managed an E in their OWL, though, so it was possible that Alec was being too harsh on them.

"Jace?" Alec asked, because he really, really needed to distract himself from this for just two minutes. His brain clearly wasn't working. Or maybe he just lacked the necessary skills for this.

"Mmm?"

"Did you have any luck with Clary, yet?"

Jace glanced up at him, eyebrows raised. "Nope. I don't know why she'd want to deny herself all this–" He gestured to himself "–for a whole night in close quarters, but apparently she does."

Alec wrinkled his nose. "That makes it sound like you want to hook up with her, not take her to a dance."

Jace rolled his eyes. "I don't get it. I don't get her. How often does the Tri-Wizard Tournament happen? How often do we have a ball, for god's sake? Aren't girls supposed to like hot, talented guys asking them to fancy dances?"

Choking, Alec lifting his hand to smother his laughter. "Jesus Christ, Jace, no wonder she doesn't want to go out with you if those are your pick-up lines. And talented? Really? I seem to remember you being in the hospital wing for two days because you got burnt so badly during the first task."

He didn't mention that Clary had, in fact, come by and left a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, when Jace had been unconscious. That would have inflated Jace's head far to much. No. That would remain a secret between Alec, Isabelle - their sister, who had slapped Jace when he'd woken up and then hugged him fiercely - and Clary.

He was clearly friends with too many Gryffindors.

"I am incredible. I am the Cedric Diggory of this tournament. Except I'm not going to die."

"Jace!" Alec shook his head. "You can't say things like that."

"Why not? Diggory was pretty badass, right?"

Alec rolled his eyes, and pointed his wand at the watch they were supposed to be charming to sing the time, only to receive a spluttering sort of squeak in response. Well. At least there was a noise that time. That was better than silence. As of yet, he hadn't heard any singing watches, so he didn't feel too useless.

"You know," Alec said, conversationally, "if you stopped showing off to the Beaubatons girls, Clary might think you're a bit less of an arse."

"But they—"

"Do you want her to say yes or not?" Alec asked impatiently.

Jace flicked his wand at the watch irritably. It caught fire, much to Alec's alarm, but Jace put it out quickly.

"Since when do you know anything about girls, Alec?" Jace shook his head. "Forget girls, you don't have any luck with guys, either. Who are you taking to the dance, again?"

Alec flushed. "I hate dancing. Why would I want to go to the stupid dance? Simon and I are just gonna—go and stand awkwardly at the sides."

Simon—Clary's Hufflepuff friend, muggle-born like her, who'd been her best friend all through her childhood. Alec was fairly sure that Simon had been head-over-heels in love with Clary, at some point, but he seemed to have his sights set on Isabelle, now. Not that she was taking him to the dance. Some guy Alec didn't know called Meliorn had asked her to go. Simon and Alec weren't really friends. But they were in the same year, and the same house, and had several mutual friends (all in Gryffindor, unfortunately) so they spent far too much time together.

Honestly, of his housemates, he much preferred Lydia.

"Sometimes, I wonder how we're related," Jace said, sighing sadly.

"We're not. You're adopted."

Jace poked him in the ribs with his wand. "Smart-arse. Alright, then, how are you and Izzy related?"

"Well, Jace, when Mummy and Daddy love each other very much— Ow!"

Jace had poked him in the ribs again, hard, this time. Professor Flitwick looked up at them from where he'd been standing with a group of Slytherins at the front, and frowned.

"Your wand is not a sword, Mr Herondale. And you are a wizard, not a baboon brandishing a stick."

The whole room snickered at that—Jace included. Professor Flitwick shook his head, and turned back to the Slytherins.

"Thought he'd set me lines for that," Jace muttered.

"So stop abusing me."

Their conversation was cut off by the sharp, melodic sounds of singing from the desk across and in front of Alec and Jace. A watch hovered in mid-air, hands set at midday for ease (according to Professor Flitwick–Alec didn't think it made much difference) singing the time repeatedly in a little rhyming song.

Below it, sat Magnus Bane, wand in the air.

"Excellent!" Flitwick said, clapping his hands together. "Excellent, Mr Bane! Take twenty points to Slytherin."

The Slytherins in the room whooped, some high-fiving each other. Nobody high-fived Magnus. Like, ever. He wasn't that sort of person. He was far too classy and sophisticated for that kind of thing, with his perfectly styled hair and his make-up and the extravagant clothes he wore whenever school uniform wasn't required.

Too bad those weren't the things that made Alec infatuated with him.

Well. Possibly those things had drawn his attention. But Magnus, with his confidence, his easy smiles, his flirtatious, shameless mannerisms, his hidden kindness and even more hidden nerdiness (which Alec was only aware of because he'd seen a mundane comic book peeking out the top of his bag last year, and later seen him reading it in a corner of the library, giggling adorably to himself), was a hell of a lot more than his appearance.

Flitwick's voice snapped Alec out of his thoughts. And his staring. Thank god Magnus was sitting in front of him.

"The rest of you, I expect you to have this spell mastered by next week. I will be testing. Individually. No matter how difficult you may be finding the clue to the second task, Mr Herondale." Flitwick pointed his wand at Jace. "You may go."

"Fucking Slytherins," Jace muttered, as they threw their things into their bags. "Fucking superiority complexes."

"Oh, stop it," Alec said lightly, swinging his bag onto his shoulder. "You sound like you went to Hogwarts in the eighties. It's the twenty-first century, Jace. Rivalry is meant to be rivalry, not hatred."

"Who said that?"

"Me?" Alec frowned. "Why do you look so surprised?"

"I'm not," Jace said, following Alec as they left the classroom. "Just... Well. You really get into house spirit during Quidditch."

"Yeah, well, that's Quidditch. I'm a Chaser. And a captain. I'm meant to want to beat the Slytherins. That's different. You know, because I also want to slaughter Gryffindors and Ravenclaws."

"Whatever. I want to get to this Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson. I want to jinx some Slytherins."

Alec whacked Jace with his bag. "You really need to calm down. They like you. You're doing pretty well in this tournament, and it'd be nice if you won. Stop being so moody."

"You sound like Isabelle."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Alec said firmly, before marching down the corridor towards their next lesson, leaving a grumpy, sleep-deprived Jace in his wake.

***

"Hey, Lightwood!"

Magnus looked up. He'd been trying to do his Transfiguration homework in the Slytherin common room, but a group of first-years had managed to get their hands on a box of Stink Bombs from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, and so they'd all had to vacate and move elsewhere for a few hours.

Now, apparently, even the library was becoming some kind of madhouse. There'd been third years thrown out for screaming at books at the back in the restricted section, loud enough to be heard in the main library, and a fifth year breaking down a row behind Magnus because she was convinced she'd fail her OWL, and now, apparently, first years were going round yelling to get Alec Lightwood's attention.

Magnus wrinkled his nose. Not at Alec - Alec was as decent as it was feasible possible for a human to be - but at his brother. Jace Herondale. He seemed to have grown such an enormous head in the last term that he was actually taking up offers from first and seconds years to deliver messages to his friends.

God, it wasn't the school era of Harry Potter. People had mobile phones, even if they were technically banned inside the castle grounds. Surely Jace Herondale, Quidditch star and Hogwarts champion, was mischievous and daring enough to break the rules?

Although, admittedly, Alec probably wasn't. Alec was more the law-abiding sort.

But still. It was lazy, and it made first-years seem like house elves, when all they wanted to do was be able to say that they'd actually spoken to the famous, elite, superstar, Jace Herondale.

Arsehole.

It was possible that Magnus didn't like Herondale very much. It was possible that he was bitter about Gryffindor beating Slytherin at Quidditch again last year, and Herondale proceeding to brag about it for weeks.

Magnus wasn't even that interested in Quidditch, beyond it being an important and usually exciting house event. Outside school? He really couldn't care less.

Alec, though... Alec clearly cared. He'd captained Hufflepuff to victory last year, for the first time in over a decade.

He may or may not have rubbed that in Herondale's face once or twice, to shut him up.

Magnus had, of course, realised that Alec was in the library almost the moment he'd walked in—before Herondale started sending in first-years to deliver his arrogant messages. Which was precisely why he hadn't acknowledged him, or spoken to him, or sat down next to him.

Because knowing that Alec was present was distracting enough. Actually being anywhere near him while he tried to do homework? God, he'd never get anything done. The boy was far too distracting. Ridiculously tall yet trying to make himself look small, with his messy hair and stupid hazel eyes, and his sweet little smile and that endearing blush...

It was good that Magnus was only sort-of friends with Alec. Otherwise he'd never get anything done. Ever. And not just because of how damn attractive he was, without appearing to realise it. He was sweet, and he was funny, and he was smart and loyal and all those beautiful Hufflepuff qualities, and Magnus was absolutely besotted with him.

Especially now. When everyone was talking about the Yule Ball, and his friends were all going round asking people to go with them, and making bets on who Magnus would ask. The entire castle knew that Magnus would never pass up an opportunity to shine. But rumours were flying around who he'd ask to go with him.

Everyone's top assumption was Camille Belcourt. Which was, frankly, laughable. Why on earth would Magnus be interested in going to a romantic, symbolic dance at Christmas with that conniving bitch? Because they'd been caught snogging, once, when they were fourteen? Because Camille had made it her mission to date every guy in the school, and hadn't managed to get him,on a date yet?

Magnus would genuinely have taken Jace Herondale to the ball over Camille.

Why people were so convinced he'd be taking her, he really had no idea.

The only person Magnus wanted to take to the Yule Ball, really, was Alec. That had been his plan all year, actually. He'd decided he'd ask Alec out, this year, because he'd spent the entirety of the preparation for his OWL exams trying not to think about that face Alec pulled when he was concentrating (and, honestly, just Alec, in general) and it had got ridiculous.

So he'd decided that he'd ask him out this year. And they'd announced the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and really, what would be more romantic than the Yule Ball as a date?

But, just this morning, he'd heard Alec telling Herondale that he wasn't interested in dancing, and that he was only going under duress, because his sister insisted that he couldn't stay in the Hufflepuff common room. He'd unwittingly dashed Magnus' plans, and now Magnus was completely stuck, because the ball was only a fortnight away, and he didn't even want to ask anyone who wasn't Alec, let alone know who he could possibly ask.

"Oh, Magnus, hey. I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

Fuck it all.

"If it isn't my favourite Hufflepuff." Magnus glanced up at Alec, who still by his table, hugging a stack of books to his chest. Magnus had been planning on sticking on one of his wonderfully convincing fake smiles, but meeting Alec's gaze made him smile in an entirely genuine way. "What are you doing here?"

"I was trying to do that Defence Against the Dark Arts essay to distract myself from that stupid charm, but I got halfway through and got stuck, so I'm giving up. I'll try again tomorrow."

Magnus raised his eyebrows. _Do not focus on how cute he is when he pouts, Bane. Don't even think about it. Definitely don't think about that scrunchy, frowning think he does with his face. Don't do it. Don't._

"Which stupid charm?" he asked.

"Flitwick's thing about making watches sing." Alec visibly cringed. "When am I ever going to want to make a watch sing?"

"Impress potential dates and-or employers?"

Alec snickered. "Please, Mr Potter, let me become an auror. You defeated Lord Voldermort, but I can make this watch sing."

Magnus laughed. "Think about the time, not the singing."

Alec blinked adorably at him. "What?"

"Imagine yourself saying the time in your head. Then do the charm."

"That– actually sounds fairly logical." Alec's lips turned up into a smile. "Thank you, Magnus."

_Stop saying my name unless you're also going to kiss me, please._

"You're welcome, Alexander."

Alec flushed. Alec always flushed when Magnus called him by his full name. He wasn't quite sure whether that was because Alec was slightly attracted to Magnus, or whether it was just an affect of that name. He found it hard to determine Alec's interest, which is why he hadn't just asked him out already, like he'd ask out anyone else he liked. Alec's interest seemed to fluctuate.

"I'll let you get back to...whatever you're doing."

"Transfiguration."

"Oh." Alec grimaced. "That was evil. Good luck."

"Thank you for filling me with such hope," Magnus said dryly. "I'm looking forward to trying to conclude this."

Alec grinned at him. "See you around, Magnus."

"I'm going to hex you in DADA tomorrow!"

"Game on, Bane."

***

Alec didn't expect to run into Magnus in Hogsmeade, two days before the Yule Ball in the Three Broomsticks. But, when he turned to carry a tray of butterbeers back over to the table for himself and his friends, he nearly smashed into Magnus.

Magnus smiled at him. "Hello, Alec."

"Hi." Alec tried to smile, and failed, because fuck, Magnus was so beautiful it hurt. Particularly out of uniform, when he had all that make-up and glitter on, and wore those flamboyant clothes that really rather suited him, and god, he'd out blonde highlights in his hair. When had it become legal to be that attractive? Wasn't this level of gorgeousness an Askaban-worthy crime?

Magnus glanced over his shoulder, gaze landing on the gaggle of Hogwarts students at the back, laughing loudly—Alec's friends. Lydia looked over at them and smiled. Lydia was the only one Alec had told about his crush on Magnus.

God, who was he kidding? He was a lot more than crushing on the guy.

"Are you excited?" Magnus asked him, leaning casually against the bar, coat sliding sideways and exposing the way his tight jeans hugged the curve of his thigh and hip. "About the ball?"

"Um, honestly, no." Alec laughed awkwardly. "I'm not great at dancing. I'm not really a fan of the whole thing. I'm going because everyone else is going. I don't think I'm going to find it that thrilling."

"Shame," Magnus said, an odd sort of smile on his lips. "I'm sure you'll find something to occupy yourself, even if it's not dancing. Are you taking anyone?"

Alec snorted. "No. I'm not going to dance, so why would anyone want to go with me? I didn't ask anyone. It'd be a complete waste of their time."

"I don't think so," Magnus said, voice soft.

Alec shrugged. "I heard you've got...a date."

"I really wish people would stop saying that," Magnus said with a sigh. "I have absolutely no wish to do any dating with Camille. I asked her because she was the least painful option."

Alec violently disagreed with that. Nothing would be more painful than Camille, surely? "Really? I mean, I suppose I don't know her, but she seems..."

"Like a bitch?" Magnus suggested. "She is. But I thought that as I've made very clear that I would rather cuddle one of Professor Sprout's terrifying cactuses than date Camille, there wouldn't be rumours about some long-standing love affair."

"Wouldn't it have been easier to ask someone you're friends with? Like...Catarina Loss?"

Was it creepy that Alec knew who Magnus was friends with? And that he would never date Catarina, because they were more like siblings? It was probably creepy.

"I considered asking Cat," Magnus confessed. "But she, like yourself, is not overly joyous about the prospect of the ball."

"Oh." Alec tried not to let his eyes stray down to Magnus open shirt and multitude of necklaces when Magnus slid his coat off and folded it over one arm. This was ridiculous. He'd thought that one time he'd gone to Hogsmeade with Magnus and his friends last year (because Catarina and Tessa had suddenly become friends with Lydia, and so Alec had been invited too) had been bad enough. Magnus' clothes then had been tight everywhere. Arse, thighs, chest, biceps... But this was worse. This was definitely worse.

"I'm sure you'll have fun anyway," Alec managed to say, without stuttering.

"Maybe." Magnus smiled. "I'll let you get back to your friends. They'll start jinxing me if I keep you from delivering their butterbeers."

"Merry Christmas, Magnus."

Magnus' smile widened. "Merry Christmas, Alexander."

***

"Good god, Alec, look a bit more miserable, why don't you," Lydia said, walking down the stairs from the girls' dormitory to where Alec and Simon stood together. "This is supposed to be fun. Dancing. Music. Drinks. People. It's Christmas! Cheer up!"

Alec rolled his eyes. "Dancing and people. Two things I'm really known for my love of. I'm not taking anyone, I'm not going to dance, so I really don't understand why you're making me go."

Lydia put her hands on her hips and fixed him with a glare. "Because your sister would murder me if I didn't. Besides, you're taking me and Simon."

"I'm pretty sure John is taking you."

"And you're taking me to John. It's your duty as my best friend. Who else is going to keep Simon company?"

Simon raised his eyebrows. "I didn't want to go either. I have to watch Isabelle making gooey eyes at her new boyfriend."

"Tough luck, Lewis," Lydia said. "Now come on, you two, I didn't spend hours learning how to do my hair like this just to stand around in here all night. Let's go."

With that, she hitched up her skirts, grabbed Alec by the arm, and marched out of the common room, leaving Simon to trail in their wake.

***

The Great Hall looked beautiful.

The long house tables had been moved to the sides, Christmas trees sparkling in the corners. The ceiling had been enchanted to look like it was snowing, and someone had covered every surface visible in a smattering of white snow, that looked real but wasn't melting, and silvery glitter. A stage had been set up to one side of the open space where, Alec presumed, people would be dancing soon.

"Dude," Jace said when the three of them approached their friends. "You clean up good."

Alec huffed. "This is why I didn't want to come," he told Lydia.

But Lydia was craning her neck, looking desperately past Alec. "Is that John? Damn, I think it is. Alec, look, is that—?"

It was. And, fifteen minutes later, when Meliorn had arrived and started making Isabelle giggle, and Jace was still checking out Clary, and Lydia and John seemed to be in their own little bubble, Alec was ready to leave. He felt like an outsider already. The only person who looked more miserable that he felt was Simon.

"You know it's not going to last," he said to him, "right? Iz and this guy."

"Yeah." Simon sighed wistfully. "Would have been nice to dance with her tonight, though."

"Well, what's stopping you? Ask her for a dance, later. She's not going to say no."

Simon said something else, but Alec didn't hear him, because his attention had been captured by something else, and he'd entirely lost control of his faculties.

Magnus Bane had just walked into the hall. And he looked so incredibly beautiful, in long green robes threaded with silver and gold, hair up but curling over onto his forehead. He still had those gorgeous blonde highlights in his hair.

God, Alec wished he had some claim to Magnus. He wished they were friends enough for Alec to go over there and talk to him. Because they were friends, but they weren't really. They talked, and they joked around, (and Alec was slightly in love with him) but they never approached each other. They just ran into each other.

Besides, Camille was already coming over, and Magnus had turned his attention to her. Alec might have been about as straight as a circle, but even he could tell that Camille was one of the most beautiful people in the room. Except possibly some of the Beaubatons girls.

And Magnus himself.

"Damn," Simon said softly, beside him. "Looks like I'm not the only one."

Alec looked across at him irritably. "What are you talking about?"

"That's a lustful, wistful, _fuck-he's-hot-and-I-want-him_ look if I ever saw one."

Alec forced himself to tear his eyes away from Magnus, just as Magnus turned his head in their direction, and said, "I've got no idea what you're talking about, Simon."

"Alec! Simon!"

Isabelle's voice met their ears, saving Alec from having to respond. Alec gave Simon a pointed look, warning him not to say a word about this to the others, because Isabelle would never shut up about it and then she'd start interfering (knowing her, she'd start buying love potions) and it would be awful.

"What?" Alec asked her, sounding somewhat snippy.

Isabelle glared at him. "The dancing is about to start. And for the last time, Alec, try to have some fun."

Alec sighed, unable to hell himself glancing over his shoulder towards where Magnus had been standing earlier. And, yes, there he was, Camille's arm tucked into his, laughing at something his best friend, Ragnor Fell, was saying. The other boy's face didn't look even slightly amused, but that seemed to be typical of their relationship. Alec smiled in spite of himself.

"Alec." Isabelle's voice had gone dangerously soft. "Stop thinking about it."

Alec whirled back round to face her. "What? Stop thinking about what?"

"Bane. Stop thinking about Bane. I hate to remind you of this, but he's here with Camille, and if the rumours are true, they'll be dating soon. I know you two are more friendly with each other than I am with him, but—"

"Wait, wait, wait." Alec held up a hand. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Isabelle blinked at him, shifting her shimmering red dress with a hand absently. "Your crush on Magnus Bane."

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't have a crush on Magnus."

Simon snorted beside him, before quickly turning it into a cough. Alec scowled at him.

"You're my brother, Alec, and I love you, but if you think I am that oblivious—"

Music filled the air, drowning out the rest of Isabelle's sentence. She gave Alec one final look, her expression unreadable, and then pulling Meliorn towards the double doors leading out towards the dancing. Jace and Clary stood at the front of the line, along with the Durmstrang and Beaubatons champions and their partners.

After a few minutes, other couples began to spill onto the dance floor. Alec saw Isabelle and Clary exchange grins as they twirled past each other, both Jace and Meliorn more than competent dancers.

Even if, in some bizarre, backwards reality, Magnus had the slightest bit of interest in Alec, there was no way Magnus would want to go with him to something like this. Dancing. Alec was terrible at dancing. Magnus was... Well. He really suspected that Magnus would be an incredible dancer. He was incredible at most things.

He certainly seemed to be, when Alec spotted him while he and Simon stood against a wall, mournfully watching the proceedings. He was spinning Camille round perfectly, leading her across the floor with fluid ease.

And he still looked too beautiful for Alec to be able to take his eyes off him.

It was going to be a long night.

***

Magnus had looked for Alec when he'd first come into the hall. It had taken him some time to find him, in the mass of people all eagerly discussing the dance.

It wasn't until he'd been in there for at least twenty minutes that he spotted Alec, standing with all those Gryffindors he seemed to get along with so well, and Lydia Branwell, and the Hufflepuff boy whom Alec didn't seem quite so fond of.

And... Well. He looked gorgeous. He always did. Magnus had to wonder whether, perhaps, Isabelle Lightwood had helped with finding those dress robes. They were just the right shade of blue and just the right shape to compliment absolutely everything about him.

It wasn't like Magnus hadn't noticed before that Alec was built. He played Quidditch—of course he was. But the shaping of those robes made it incredibly obvious.

Magnus was absolutely thinking about getting his mouth on the abs that Alec no doubt had going on under all those layers. Camille was hanging off his arm, but his thoughts were on the beautiful boy across the room.

Alec stayed away from the dancing. He stood by the wall, looking more than a little miserable, butterbeer in hand, eyes on the dancing mass in front of him. Magnus kept glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, while he danced with Camille.

Somehow, he wasn't really enjoying himself. Which was odd, because Magnus loved dancing. But he just...couldn't stop thinking about Alec. And, more importantly, how utterly folorn he appeared. Wasn't there anything here he could find to enjoy? It was Christmas, Hogwarts looked beautiful, there were all the delicious drinks one could buy in Hogsmeade here for _free_ , and even if he didn't like dancing, wouldn't he be enjoying the music, and the general atmosphere?

Magnus didn't understand. But he wanted to.

He danced five songs with Camille. They'd been there an hour, by that point, and Magnus was fed up with Camille's snide little comments about everyone else. God, he was fed up with Camille in general.

"I'm going to get something to drink," Magnus told her, when the song ended. "And then I'm going to find Catarina, because she's here on her own. Okay?"

"Of course she is." Camille sniffed. "She doesn't like dancing, strange girl."

Magnus forced himself not to roll his eyes. "I'll find you later."

"No, it's okay, I'll come with you," she said.

"Camille." Magnus shook his head. "You and Cat don't exactly get along. I'll see you later."

With that, he swept into the crowd, picking up a butterbeer on his way to find not Catarina, who he could see was laughing with Tessa, but Alexander.

***

"They've just stopped dancing," Alec said, following Isabelle and Meliorn with his eyes as they walked off the dance floor, laughing, arms around each other. "Oh, wait- Don't look, they're kissing. Ugh. That's my sister." He wrinkled his nose.

Simon moaned beside him. "This is awful. I hate this. Why didn't we just play exploding snap in the common room?"

"Because Lydia would have decapitated up, and then Isabelle would have castrated us. You can look, now. They've stopped. Actually, Meliorn's leaving." He raised his eyebrows. "Now's your chance, Simon. I think he's going to get them drinks or something."

Simon perked up at that, before promptly slumping. "I can't," he mumbled. "I'll just do something stupid."

"Yeah, well, that'd make two of us. Go on. Isabelle likes you, she won't say no."

"Likes me, or _likes_ me? Because, you see, there's an important difference. Like, as in, I'm cool, or _like_ , as in, yes, I am potential kissing material?"

"Like," Alec said.

Simon chuckled suddenly. "Know who else has stopped dancing?" He paused for dramatic effect. "Magnus and Camille."

Alec's head snapped towards where Simon was looking, following his gaze. Magnus was talking to Camille, hands to himself, shaking his head. She made a face at him, and he shook his head again, gestured expressively in that way he did, before jerking his head towards where the drinks were. Camille made another face.

Magnus walked away.

"He's coming this way, Alec," Simon said.

"I think your window of time to ask my sister to dance with you is closing," Alec said dryly, hoping to get off the topic. "Go away."

"Nope." Simon looked across at him, grinning. "We have to make a deal. I'll ask Isabelle to dance is you ask Magnus to dance."

"What?" Alec spluttered. "Are you joking? I hate dancing! I can't dance! Why the hell would I do that?"

"Fine." Simon held up a finger. "I ask Isabelle to dance, you talk to Magnus. Properly."

Alec looked back over towards where Magnus was picking up a butterbeer, the longing he felt probably very visible on his face. Not that he could find it in himself to care. Magnus was walking in their general direction, now, probably to find some of his friends.

"Fine. Deal."

***

Magnus was halfway to Alexander, when their eyes met. Magnus smiled at him. Alec smiled back. And then, to Magnus' utter shock and elation, Alec started walking towards him.

"Alexander," Magnus said, delighting in the blush he got for that. "I was just coming to find you."

Alec stared at him blankly for a moment, and then blinked, once. "You were?"

"I was." Magnus held out one of the two glasses of butterbeer he'd grabbed. "I noticed you looked a little bereft, with no drink and Lewis off to dance with your sister."

Oh, Magnus had been paying far too much attention.

But Alec just kept looking at him, gaping a little now, before he took the proffered drink, their fingers brushing together, and thanked Magnus. Magnus smiled at him again. Frankly, he struggled not to smile around Alec. He was just so lovely.

"So." Magnus gestured to the dance floor. "You don't fancy joining the dance?"

Alec looked at it as though it was something poisonous. "No."

Magnus laughed. "Is dancing so bad? Nobody's going to be looking at you. They're all far too preoccupied."

Alright, so Magnus might have noticed that Alec avoiding do things that had the potential to embarrass him, Quidditch being a notable exception. And he might have spent a sleepless night contemplating why Alec would dislike dancing as much as he seemed to.

"It's, um." Alec scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish as he let out a self-deprecating laugh. "I told you I didn't like dancing. I tell everyone I don't like dancing, actually. But that's not- that's not technically true."

"Oh?" Magnus raised his eyebrows, desperate to know more. Like, whether he could ask Alec to dance. For hours. And then maybe kiss him. Like he'd wanted to for months.

"I don't know how to dance," Alec confessed. "I've never really tried. Nobody's ever taught me. So I don't really know how I feel about dancing. I just know I can't do it, so it would be awful."

Well. This was an unexpected win. Not being able to dance was something Magnus could fix in a heartbeat. Perhaps not a heartbeat, but... It was something he could work with, unlike a fixed hatred of the entire concept of dancing.

"We'll have to fix that," Magnus said, his tone of voice slightly teasing. "We can't have a Lightwood not being able to dance."

Alec looked suddenly very uncertain. "I– I suppose so? I..." He trailed off, searching Magnus' face as though he was desperate for an explanation for what the hell Magnus had meant.

"Come on." Magnus softened his voice, and held out a hand. "Come with me."

Alec stared at his hand for a moment, and then looked back up at him. A small, shy smile lit up his face as he slid his hand into Magnus', their palms pressing together, fingers wrapping around each other. Alec's hand was warm in his, pulse tripping in his wrist, grip firm. His hand was a little bit clammy, but Magnus couldn't have cared less.

Willing his heart to calm the fuck down, he pulled Alec through the crowd, leading him around gatherings of people and lingering couples, towards the exit. Just before he left the hall entirely, he tugged on Alec's hand, and they disappeared out into the courtyard.

It was cold outside, but beautiful. The moon was high in the sky, stars twinkling above them, a soft breeze blowing through. They could still hear the music, faintly, travelling outside with them, but they were alone, just the two of them.

Magnus shivered a little. Alec looked concerned.

"Are you cold? It is sort of cold out here."

Magnus ducked his head to hide his smile. He was getting those vibes he sometimes got from Alec, that made him that maybe Alec was attracted to him, or interested in him, or both.

"A little bit," Magnus said. "But I won't be in a moment. I have to teach you how to dance."

Alec squirmed in place. "I- I'm not sure that's a good idea. I'll probably do something stupid. Like step on your feet or... I don't know."

"Nonsense. I don't care if you step on my feet. I promise, it's not that difficult."

Magnus held his arms up, out towards Alec. Alec hesitated for a moment, and then stepped forwards awkwardly. Magnus grabbed his hands, placing one on his shoulder and grasping the other in his hand, before resting his free hand on Alec's waist.

"Does this work?" Alec asked nervously. "With two guys? I mean, isn't dancing a really traditional thing?"

"So is marriage," Magnus said, "but people of the same gender can get married here, so why not dancing?"

It was strange. On a day to day basis, the height difference between them didn't really notice. It wasn't really that vast - three or four inches, Magnus guessed - but standing this close, he had to tip his head right up to look Alec in the eye.

"Can you hear the music, still?" Magnus asked.

"Yeah." Alec's voice was soft, all of a sudden, his eyes turning liquid brown.

"Waltz. Waltzes are easy. Step backwards with your right foot—" Alec stepped. Magnus stepped back. "And now bring your other foot forwards, diagonally. And then step together." Magnus beamed when Alec got it. "Exactly. See? Not so difficult. And now we go the opposite way. So you step forwards—"

Within minutes, they were laughing and smiling as Magnus led them round the courtyard in a waltz. It was a little robotic and stumbling on Alec's part, but it wasn't like Magnus cared. He was standing here, this close to Alec Lightwood, touching him, dancing with him, and just...having fun.

Alec huffed when he tripped, and said, "How are you so good at this?"

"I take dancing lessons." Magnus smiled nostalgically. "All sorts of dance. Modern dance, mostly. But...some classical. I've tried pretty much every kind of dance there is, at some point."

"Oh." Alec pulled his gaze up from his feet, and focused his attention on Magnus, seeming to relax just a little, his movements becoming more fluid. "Muggle dance school?"

"Yes. My mother is a muggle, and that was what she used to love as a girl, so..." He shrugged. "She wanted me to try it too. I love it. I don't do it that much, anymore, but it's good fun."

"That makes me feel a bit less useless."

Magnus gave him a sharp look. "You might be a great many things, but I really don't think useless is one of them."

Alec looked surprised, for a moment, before he shot Magnus a weak smile. He didn't say anything in reply, glancing back down at his feet as Magnus turned them round in a tighter circle to fit through the narrow gap.

"Shouldn't you be going back to Camille?" Alec asked him, after several moments.

"I'd rather stay here, I think," Magnus replied. "I'm sure Camille will find at least twenty people who would be more than happy to dance with her." Magnus shook his head. "Good luck to them."

Alec grinned at that. "So...why Camille? You could have the pick of pretty much anyone you liked. Why her, if you don't like her? There must be someone in the entire school you'd rather spend the night with in this kind of..." Alec hesitated, clearly searching for the right word. "This kind of romantic, festive setting."

Magnus' lips quirked up as they continued turning around the courtyard, Magnus manoeuvring them around the fountain in the middle of the cobbled floor with ease."

"There is," Magnus confessed. "But I didn't think there would be a huge amount of point in asking him to go with me. I doubted he would have been particularly keen on this sort of thing."

Something flashed in Alec's eyes, and Magnus felt him stiffen, gaze going to someplace over Magnus' shoulder. "Oh."

Magnus bit his lip, wondering whether he was about to ruin absolutely everything, and kill the mood between them, and said, "I wanted to ask you."

Alec stopped dancing. Magnus nearly fell over at the sudden halt, but Alec's grip on him kept him upright. Alec was staring at him, eyes wide, lips parted.

"Are you–" Alec cleared his throat. "Are you serious?"

"Perfectly, Alexander."

"You wanted to ask me to the Yule Ball?" Alec asked. Magnus nodded. "But...why?"

Magnus raised his eyebrows. "Why is a person generally asked to a dance by someone? Because I like you."

If possible, Alec looked even more stunned at that.

"You like me? Like... _like_ me?"

Magnus couldn't help it. He laughed, and placed a hand gently on Alec's cheek. "Yes, darling. _Like_ you."

"Oh."

Alec just stared at him, for a long, heavy minute. Magnus waited, as patiently as he could, for Alec to say something. Alec didn't seem to want Magnus to remove his hand from his cheek, or drop his hand from where he was still clasping Alec's. He just looked...dumbfounded. As though he couldn't believe what he was hearing. And Magnus couldn't quite work out whether that was in a good way or a bad way. Whether Alec was about to kiss him or leave.

"You're not joking, are you?" Alec asked again. "This isn't some kind of prank or dare or something?"

"No." Magnus smiled. "No, I promise you, it's not."

Suddenly, Alec smiled. "Well, then. I like you too, Magnus."

And Magnus kissed him.

***

By Christmas morning, the entire castle knew that Magnus and Alec had become a thing. Everyone knew that they were going out for a Hogsmeade date—even though Alec hadn't known that himself, until Magnus had asked him if he'd like to, several hours after the rumours had started. Everyone knew that Magnus had ditched Camille and danced outside with Alec, instead, although the details on that seemed to vary considerably. Some versions said that Camille had called Alec something unpleasant, and Magnus had defended his honour. Some said that Magnus had gone with Alec just to spite Camille, before deciding he liked him for himself. Some said that Camille had kissed someone else, and Alec had approached Magnus after that.

None of them were quite right. Alec wasn't entirely sure how people knew any of it, but they all seemed to.

What nobody knew, though, was that Magnus had kissed Alec, in the courtyard when the clock had struck midnight. Soft and slow and so, so warm, one hand pressing into the small of Alec's back, the other carding through his hair. Alec had wrapped his arms around Magnus, pulling him closer, and kissed him back, in exactly the way he'd wanted to for far longer than he wanted to admit.

Nobody knew that kissing Magnus, and telling him _Merry Christmas, Magnus_ , voice soft and husky from kissing, had made Alec's chest ache and his heart expand.

Nobody knew that Magnus had whispered, _Merry Christmas, Alexander_ , back go him, right in his ear, kissed his cheek, and then kissed his lips again, for what felt like hours, unhurried, under the stars.

Nobody knew any of that. And Alec was very happy to keep it that way.

Everyone, however, seemed to see the moment Alec grabbed Magnus by the front of his robes, two days into term, and kissed him, full on the mouth, right in the middle of the corridor, utterly unabashed. Nobody could quite agree on why.

(Nobody knew that Magnus had asked Alec whether he could, officially, consider himself Alec Lightwood's boyfriend, and that the question had been so adorably nervous and hesitant and painfully ridiculous, as though Alec was ever going to say no, that Alec had just had to kiss him to shut him up.)

But everyone had seen them way Alec had let go, kissed his cheek, murmured something to him, and then walked off to his next lesson, leaving Magnus Bane - _the_ Magnus Bane - standing in the corridor, tie slightly askew, robes crinkled at the front, an enormous, dopey smile on his face.

But, whatever people saw, and whatever people said, the things that Alec loved the most were the things people had no idea about. The secret touches. Brushing their hands together when they passed each other in the corridors. Finding the best places in the castle to hide in order to kiss and make-out and grope each other in private. Making their friends cringe and pretend to be sick when they went out together. Sitting at a table at the back of the library together, blanketed by shelves upon shelves of books, doing homework together, trying their best not to get thrown out when they made each other giggle too loudly.

"I love you, Alexander," Magnus murmured, days before the third tournament, while they were sprawled out on the grassy bank of the lake. Magnus had his head pillowed in Alec's lap, Alec stroking his hands through Magnus' hair. Jace and Clary and Isabelle and Simon (notably not Meliorn) had all been there with them, earlier. But Alec and Magnus had stayed out when the others had gone in.

Alec didn't even think before he replied. "I love you too, Magnus."

Magnus opened his eyes and looked up at him. He was still the most beautiful person Alec had ever seen in his life. He still took Alec's breath away.

"Really?"

Alec smiled. "Really."

"Hm." Magnus closed his eyes again, and snuggled back against Alec's thighs, turning slightly onto his side and curling a hand around Alec's leg. "That's good."

It really was.

**Author's Note:**

> I speed-wrote this. I honestly have no excuses. The ending was a bit meh. But I hope you enjoyed it anyway! :)


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